Wheel chair



June 11, 1935. 5. wRlGHT ET AL 2,004,683

' WHEEL 01mm Filed March 28, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill W O June 11, 1935. L. s. WRIGHT El AL WHEEL CHAIR Filed March 28, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor) June 11, 1935. L. s'. WRIGHT ET AL WHEEL CHAIR FiledMarch 28, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventors 41/?ed1if1459i9l2 .ZeanarJ 5: I

I By

June' 11, 1935. L. s. WRIGHT ET AL WHEEL CHAIR Filed March 28, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 f1 Home y Patented June 11, 1935 rec 2,004,683 WHEEL CHAIR Application March 28,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a wheel chair, the general object of the invention being to provide a chair which can be propelled by the hands of the user and in such a manner that he can transport himself from place to place with little effort and very quickly.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

t Figure 1 i518. side view of the invention.

Figure 2 is atop plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a rear View thereof.

, Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 1. Figure 6 is a sectional view of the means for rotatably connecting the front wheel assembly to the front end of the platform.

Figure '7 is a viewrof the rear frame and the wheel supporting members for the rear wheels. Figure 8 is a view of the upright member forming a part of the front wheel assembly.

. Figure 9 isa section on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side view showing the gear arrangement for propelling the vehicle at different speeds.

Figure 11 is a View of the lower end of the steering wheel forked members.

. Figure 12 is a sectional View showing the gearing in the gear box.

Figure 13 is a sectional view through the hub of thefront wheels showing the brake mechanism.

In these drawings, the rear frame of the device is shown at A in Figure 7 and includes the substantially U-shaped member I having the limbs extended and bent over into inverted U- shape so as to form two pairs of inner and outer members 2 and 3, one pair at each side of the frame, and each of the rear wheels 4 is supported by these two members 2 and 3 by having its spindle suitably connected to said members 2 and 3. .The frame also includes a second substantially ll-shaped member 5 which has the extremities of its limbs bent into inverted U-shape and fitting over the upper portions of the inverted U-shaped members and fastened thereto by rivets or the like, as shown at 6. An angle member 1 also forms part of the frame and is seated on the 1934, Serial No. 717,859

bight part of the member I, while the limbs of the member 5 converge downwardly to the bight part of said member so that the majorgportions of the limbs of the part 5 are spaced fromthe limbs of the part i and these partsare connected together by rivets 8 having'spacers 9 thereon for holding the. parts separated, as clearly shown in Figure 7. Rivets ii? also connect'the bight parts of the members I and Eandthe'member l together and spacers H are placed on said rivets and are located between the bight part of the member I and the cross piece of the member I; A rectangular floor frame l2, formed of angle iron, has its rear end connected to the bight part of the member I between the spacersl l, as shown in Figure 3, and braces l3 and l lconnect each side of the frame l2 with partsof the frame A. 'I hefloor is shown at E5 and is located in the frame 52 and this floor is preferably covered with rubber sheeting orthe like. I

A spindle it has its lower end fastenedto the front end of the floor, as shown inFigure -dj and a substantially yoke-shapedmember ll has its ends fastened to the front ends of the side members of the frame 12 with its bight passing through a clamp l8 fastened to the upper-end of the spindle. A tubular member is is rotatably arranged on the spindle through means of the anti-friction means 20 and a tubular member 2i has its lower end fastened to the tubular member. I9 by the short pieces22. This member 2i extends upwardly and is then bent upwardly and rearwardly, with its upper end fastened toa short horizontally extending tubular part 2Z3. A pair of tubular members 2 8 have their upper ends connected with the member '23 and their lower ends are forked to receive the spindle of the front wheel 25, the spindle being suitably held in thevforks. The tubular members 21 and 24' are connected together by the braces 26, as shown in Figures 8 and 9 and a coiled spring 27 connects each side of the member ll with the front wheel assembly adjacent the lower end thereof.

A shaft is rotatably supported in the member 23 and has the cranks 29 at its ends which carry the hand grips 3i) and the shaft carries a sprocket 3! over which passes a chain 32 whichalso passes over a sprocket 33 attached to the front wheel. Thus by turning the shaft by the hands, motion is imparted to the front wheel for pro pelling the device.

The operator can steer the vehicle while. he

propels it and without the necessity of removing his hands from the crank handles,ffor.-by mani a:-

serted in the front hub and the lower handle 28 operates this" brake through the cable or other connection, shown at 28. As shown in Figure 13, this brake includes the drum 53 which forms part of the hub of the front wheel, the shoes 54' carrying the lining 55 and each pivoted at one end to a part of the drum and having their outer ends engaging the cam 56, the arm 51 of which has the lower end of the cable 28' con nected therewith. Cable 28 slide's'in the flexible armored tube 28". The usual spring 58 normallyholds the shoes in released position but when the armis swung by the cable '28, the cam will press the shoes apart so that the linings 55 will engage with the drum and thus the brake will beapplied. r r

. Instead of using a chain and sprocket drive, as shown-gearing maybe usedfor driving the device, such gearing means being shown in FigureslO, 11 and 12. In these figures, the gear box 37 takes the place of the casing 01' member 23 and has the shaft 38 passing therethrough and rotatably'supportedtherein and this shaft has slidably but non-rotatably mountedthereon double gears 39 and-40, each of-which is shifted manually by its corresponding handle member shown -genera1ly at 4!, and which pass through the slots 42. A countershaft 43 is located in the housing and has attached thereto the gears 44, 45, 46 and 41. This shaft also has a beveled gear 48 attached to the gear 44 and this gear 48 meshes with agear 49 fastened to the shaft' 50 which passes through the tubular-member 24' and has abeveled gear 5l at its lower end which meshes with a beveled gear 52 attached to the Wheel hub. 'Ihis tubularmember 24" and the other tubular member 24 are similar to the parts 24 shown in thefirst form of the invention, and the tubular member 2| is similar to the member ,2! shown in Fig ure8.

- Thus it will be seen that by shifting the handles 4!, the double gears 39 and 40 can be shifted to mesh with the different gears on the shaft 43 so that the vehicle can be propelled at four different speeds. 1 l w p By this arrangement; the occupant of the vehicle can drive the vehicle at the desired speed so that the vehicle can, ascend any grade with the same amount of exertion as used on a level. It will, of course, be understood that the handles 29' are connected with the shaft 38. V A seat for the occupant is shown at 34 and said seat is supported by the straps 35 connected to its bottom and having their rear ends extending downwardly and connected withthe' top part of the horizontal portionof the frame A and a front member 36 is fastened to the bottom of the seat and is connected with the braces 13; If desired, the parts can be provided with slots and bolts passing through the slots so that the seat can be adjusted forwardly or rearward- 1y, as desired. v I

It will be seen that the occupant of the seat can rotate the crank shaft 29' by his hands and that he can also steer the device through'means of. the crank handles. The device can be made of light weight so that it can be easily transported from place to place and the occupant simply uses his hands to propel the device so 1 that a person who has lost the use of his legs can travel from place to place with this device.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in theconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:- 1. A wheel chair comprising a frame, a pair of rear wheels for supporting the rear part of the frame,'a seat on the rear part of the frame, a front wheel assembly including a wheel and a rearwardly and upwardly extending frame, an upright spindle at the front end of the first frame, aninverted U-shaped brace member having its ends connected with the front part of the first mentioned frame, means for connecting a portion of the bight of the brace member to the top ofthe spindle, aitubular part rotatably arrangedon the spindle and to which a part of the front wheel assembly frame is connect-ed, spring means connecting the front wheel assembly to the front end of the first mentioned frame for holding thefront wheel assembly in a straight position, a crank shaft rotatablyarranged in the upper end of the frame of the front wheel assembly, means for transmitting the. motion of the crank shaft to the front wheel, and handles connected to the cranks forturning the shaftand the front wheel assembly. r.

2. A wheel chair comprising a frame, a pair of rear wheels for. supporting the rear part-of the frame, a seat on the rear part of the frame, a front wheel assemblylincluding a wheel and a rearwardly and upwardly extending frame, an upright spindle at thefront end of the first frame, a tubular part rotatablylarranged on the spindle and to whicha part of the front Wheel assembly frame is connected, spring means connecting the front. wheel assembly to the front end of the first mentioned frame for holding the front wheel assemblyin a straight position, a crank shaft rotatably arrangediin'the upper end of the frame of the front Wheel'assembly, means for transmitting the motion of the crank shaft to the front wheel, handles connected to the cranks for rotating the shaft and for turning the front wheel assembly, said firstmentio'ned frame including a rear frame having invertedu-shaped parts at its sides between the limbs of which the rear wheels extend, and means for rotatably supporting said wheelsfrom the limbs of said inverted U-shaped parts.

3 A wheel chair comprising a frame, including upright inverted U shaped parts at its side edges, a pair of rear wheels, meansfor-rotatably support-.- ing s'aidwheels' from the limbs of said inverted U Eshape'd'partS, a front'wheel assembly connected with the front end of the frame for movement about a-verticalaxis, aseat on the frame, a crank.

shaft at the upper end of the front wheel assembly, means for: transmitting the movement of said crankshaft to the frontwheel, such means vin.--.

cluding'gearingl a-Ehaftffor connecting the gear ing with the front wheel, and, manually operated means for s hicle atdifierent speeds; 7 ,NLEONARD S..WRIGHTL.'T

Y "ALFREDM. WRIGHT.

ifting the gearing to drive the ve-,. 

